Estimating a condition of a physical structure

ABSTRACT

In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Data collected by the UAV corresponding to points on a surface of a structure is received and a 3D point cloud is generated for the structure, where the 3D point cloud is generated based at least in part on the received UAV data. A 3D model of the surface of the structure is reconstructed using the 3D point cloud.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of, U.S.application Ser. No. 15/975,836, filed on May 10, 2018 and entitled“Estimating a Condition of a Physical Structure,” which is acontinuation of, and claims the benefit of, U.S. application Ser. No.14/968,147, filed on Dec. 14, 2015 and entitled “Estimating a Conditionof a Physical Structure,” which is a continuation of, and claims thebenefit of, U.S. application Ser. No. 14/496,802 (now U.S. Pat. No.9,262,788), filed Sep. 25, 2014 and entitled “Methods and Systems forCapturing the Condition of a Physical Structure via Detection ofElectromagnetic Radiation,” which is a continuation of, and claims thebenefit of, U.S. application Ser. No. 13/836,695 (now U.S. Pat. No.8,872,818), filed Mar. 15, 2013 and entitled “Methods and Systems forCapturing the Condition of a Physical Structure,” the disclosures ofwhich are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to 3D modeling, and in particular, to estimatingthe condition of a structure using 3D modeling.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to a system or method forinspecting a structure to estimate the condition of the structure. Afteran accident or loss, property owners typically file claims with theirinsurance companies. In response to these claims, the insurancecompanies assign an appraiser to investigate the claims to determine theextent of damage and/or loss, document the damage, and provide itsclients with appropriate compensation.

Determining and documenting the extent of damage can be risky for theappraiser. For example, in a situation where a structure has experiencedroof damage, appraisers typically climb onto the roof to evaluate thedamage. Once on the roof they may sketch the damaged area of the roof inorder to document the damage. In the alternative, appraisers might takea digital picture of the damaged area. In either scenario, the appraisehas exposed himself to a risk of falling. Afterwards, the picture istypically attached to an electronic claim file for future referencewhere it can be analyzed by an appraiser to estimate the extent ofdamage to the structure.

The process for determining and documenting the extent of the damage canbe inefficient and time consuming. In addition to the time required todrive to and from the incident site and to perform the inspectionitself, significant paperwork and calculations may be involved incalculating compensation owed to the clients. For example, if aninsurance appraiser takes photos on the roof of a client's building toassess a claim for roof damage from a hurricane, in order to calculatehow much money should be paid to the client, the appraiser may have tocome back to his office, research the client's property, research thecost of the damaged property and research repair costs. All of thesesteps are time consuming and both delay payment to the client andprevent the appraiser from assessing other client claims.

In situations where the insurance company has received a large number ofclaims in a short time period (e.g., when a town is affected by ahurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster), an insurance appraisermay not have time to perform a timely claim investigations of all thereceived claims. If claim investigations are not performed quickly,property owners may not receive recovery for their losses for longperiods of time. Additionally, long time delays when performing claiminvestigations can lead to inaccurate investigations results (e.g., thedelay may lead to increased opportunity for fraud and/or may make itmore difficult to ascertain the extent of damage at the time of theaccident or loss).

Finally, two-dimensional digital pictures or video of a roof orstructure often provide inadequate detail for thorough inspection of astructure. Poor image quality resulting from camera movement orout-of-focus images can make it difficult to estimate the condition of aproperty based on an image. Even where image quality is adequate, poorangles or bad lighting may hide or exaggerate details important toestimating the condition of the structure, leading to inaccurateassessments of the structure's condition.

SUMMARY

A system and method for inspecting a structure and estimating thecondition of the structure includes deploying one or more 3D scanners toscan a structure and generating, at the one or more 3D scanners, aplurality of 3D data points corresponding to points on the surface ofthe structure. The method further includes identifying coordinate sets,at the one or more 3D scanners, associated with each of the generatedplurality of 3D data points. The method also includes storing a pointcloud, comprising one or more of the generated plurality of 3D datapoints, to a memory. The method further includes causing a processor toconstruct a 3D model from the point cloud and storing the 3D model tothe memory. Then, the processor analyzes the 3D model to identifyfeatures associated with the structure. The processor finally generatesan estimate of the condition of the structure based on the identifiedfeatures before storing the estimate to memory. In some embodiments theestimate of the condition of the structure may be used to calculate afinancial cost estimate (representing, for example, a loss in value or acost to repair damage).

The 3D scanners may be contact 3D scanners (detecting 3D information viaphysical contact with a structure) or non-contact 3D scanners (detecting3D information via light or sound, for example, reflected off of thestructure). In some embodiments, the contact 3D scanner detects 3Dinformation by using a tactile sensor to detect an imprint left on a padthat was stamped on the surface or a roller that was rolled across thesurface. In other embodiments, the contact scanner detects 3Dinformation by pulling, tapping or scraping objects on the structure(such as roof shingles). In some instances the 3D scanner utilizes anaudio sensor to listen for an audio response to the tapping.

The non-contact 3D scanners may detect sound or electromagneticradiation (including white light, laser light, infrared light,ultraviolet light) to generate the 3D data points. The 3D scanner mayidentify coordinate sets associated with the 3D data points by detectinga projected light pattern or laser using triangulation methods ortime-of-flight methods (timing how long it takes for a light to reflectoff of a surface). The 3D scanners may also generate 3D data points bydetecting a chemical sprayed onto the structure (wherein the chemicalmay pool in cracks or crevices, for example).

The 3D scanners may be physically connected to (or may themselves be)stationary devices, flying devices, hovering devices, crawling devicesor rolling devices. The 3D scanners may also be physically connected to(or may themselves be) a wirelessly controlled device or an autonomouslycontrolled device.

In some instances, the processor that analyzes the 3D model to identifyfeatures associated with the structure is located in a data analysissystem remotely located relative to the 3D scanners. In other instances,the processor that analyzes the 3D model may be in a system in closeproximity to the 3D scanners.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a illustrates a block diagram of a property inspection systemaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1b illustrates a block diagram of a property inspection systemaccording to a further embodiment of the present disclosure

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a data collection system accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a data collection system accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a data collection system accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a data analysis system accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for inspecting andanalyzing the condition of a structure.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method for detecting apoint on a surface using a 3D scanner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1a illustrates a block diagram of a property inspection system 106according to an exemplary embodiment. The property inspection system 106is configured to inspect the structure 105. The structure 105 may be anytype of construction or object. In certain embodiments, the structure105 may be a building, which may be residential, commercial, industrial,agricultural, educational, or of any other nature. In other embodimentsthe structure 105 may be personal property such as a vehicle, boat,aircraft, furniture, etc. The property inspection system 106 may includea number of modules, devices, systems, sub-systems, or routines. Forexample, the property inspection system 106 includes a 3D scanningsystem or 3D scanner for generating 3D data, and may include a number ofother sensing devices. In some embodiments, the property inspectionsystem 106 includes a data collection module or system (for scanning orcollecting the structure 105) and a data analysis module or system (foranalyzing the scanned or collected data). The property inspection system106 may be utilized in a number of situations, but in the preferredembodiment, a user associated with an insurance company utilizes theproperty inspection system 106 for the purpose of estimating thecondition of the structure 105. In one embodiment, an insurancepolicy-holder may file a claim because the policy-holder believes thatthe structure 105 is damaged. A user (e.g., an insurance company orclaim adjuster) may then deploy the property inspection system 106 toinspect the structure 105 and estimate the condition of the structure105. In other embodiments, the user may be an appraiser appraising thestructure 105 or an inspector inspecting the structure 105.

In operation, the property inspection system 106 inspects the structure105 by scanning the structure 105 to detect information related to thestructure 105. The information may relate to any kind of audio, visual,tactile or thermal features associated with the structure 105. Theproperty inspection system 106 uses the detected information to generatedata representative of one or more features associated with thestructure 105. For example, and as further described below, the propertyinspection system 106 may scan the structure 105 and generate afull-color 3D model of the structure 105. The property inspection system106 then analyzes the data to estimate the condition of the structure105. Based on the estimated condition of the structure, the propertyinspection system 106 may also determine that the structure 105 isdamaged and may then automatically calculate a financial cost associatedwith the damage. For example, the property inspection system 106 maydetermine that the roof of the structure 105 is damaged and thencalculate how much it will cost to fix the roof. With regard to avehicle, boat, or aircraft, the property inspection system 106 maydetermine that a body panel, window, frame, or another surfaceassociated with the vehicle, boat, or aircraft is damaged. The propertyinspection system 106 may calculate a cost to fix the body panel,window, frame, or other surface.

FIG. 1b illustrates a block diagram of a property inspection system 100according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. Theproperty inspection system 100 includes a data collection module 101, anetwork 102, and a data analysis module 103. In the property inspectionsystem 100, the data collection module 101 and the data analysis module103 are each communicatively connected to the network 102. Inalternative embodiments of the property inspection system 100, the datacollection module 101 may be in direct wired or wireless communicationwith the data analysis module collection module 101 and the dataanalysis module 103 may exist on a single device or platform and mayshare components, hardware, equipment, or any other resources. Thenetwork 102 may be a single network, or may include multiple networks ofone or more types (e.g., a public switched telephone network (PSTN), acellular telephone network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), theInternet, etc.).

In operation of the property inspection system 100, the data collectionmodule 101 scans a structure (such as structure 105) and generates datarepresenting the scanned information. In certain embodiments, the datacollection module is operable on a 3D scanning system such as the datacollection system 201 shown in FIG. 2. The generated data may representa point cloud or 3D model of the scanned structure. The data collectionmodule 101 transmits the generated data over the network 102. The dataanalysis module 103 receives the generated data from the network 102,where the data analysis module 103 operates to estimate the condition ofthe structure by analyzing the generated data. In some embodiments,estimating the condition of the structure may include comparing thegenerated data to reference data. The reference data may be any type ofdata that can provide a point of comparison for estimating the conditionof the structure. For example, the reference data may represent animage, model, or any previously collected or generated data relating tothe same or a similar structure. The reference data may also representstock images or models unrelated to the scanned structure. Furthermore,the data analysis module 103 may use the estimate of the condition ofthe structure to determine that the structure is damaged, and then maycalculate an estimated cost correlated to the extent of the damage tothe structure.

In some embodiments of the property inspection system 100, the datacollection module 101 wirelessly transmits, and the data analysis module103 wirelessly receives, the generated data. While in the preferredembodiment the generated data represents a point cloud or 3D model ofthe scanned structure, the generated data may also correspond to anyvisual (2D or 3D), acoustic, thermal, or tactile characteristics of thescanned structure. The data collection module 101 may use one or more 3Dscanners, image sensors, video recorders, light projectors, audiosensors, audio projectors, chemical sprays, chemical sensors, thermalsensors, or tactile sensors to scan the structure and generate the data.In some embodiments the network 102 may include one or more devices suchas computers, servers, routers, modems, switches, hubs, or any othernetworking equipment.

In further embodiments of the property inspection system 100, the datacollection module 101 may be handled or operated by a person. The datacollection module 101 may also be affixed to a locally or remotelycontrolled device. The data collection module 101 may also be affixed toa device that crawls or rolls along a surface; or a flying device, suchas a unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), airplane or helicopter. In someembodiments, the helicopter may be a multicopter with two or morerotors. The data collection module 101 may also be affixed to aprojectile, balloon or satellite.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a data collection system 201according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The datacollection system 201 is used to scan the structure 205. The structure205 may be any of the aforementioned structure types, such as abuilding, boat, vehicle, or aircraft. The data collection system 201includes a processor 210, a memory 215, a user input interface 220, anetwork interface 230, a peripheral interface 235, a system bus 250, anda 3D scanner 285. The 3D scanner 285 includes a tactile sensor 260, animage sensor 265, a light projector 270, an audio sensor 275, and anaudio projector 280. In alternative embodiments, the 3D scanner 285 ofthe data collection system 201 may include only one of, or some subsetof: the tactile sensor 260, the image sensor 265, the light projector270, the audio sensor 275, and the audio projector 280. Some embodimentsmay also have multiple tactile sensors, multiple image sensors, multiplelight projectors, multiple audio sensors, or multiple audio projectors.

In certain embodiments of the memory 215 of the data collection system201, the memory 215 may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory andmay be removable or non-removable memory. For example, the memory 215may include computer storage media in the form of random access memory(RAM), read only memory (ROM), EEPROM, FLASH memory or other memorytechnology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical diskstorage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage orother magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used tostore the desired information. The network interface 230 may include anantenna, a port for wired connection, or both.

In some embodiments of the peripheral interface 235 of the datacollection system 201, the peripheral interface 235 may be a serialinterface such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. In otherembodiments the peripheral interface 235 may be a wireless interface forestablishing wireless connection with another device. For example, insome embodiments the peripheral interface 235 may be a short rangewireless interface compliant with standards such as Bluetooth (operatingin the 2400-2480 MHz frequency band) or Near Field Communication(operating in the 13.56 MHz frequency band).

In the preferred embodiments of the 3D scanner 285 of the datacollection system 201, the 3D scanner 285 is a non-contact 3D scanner,which may be active (where the 3D scanner 285 emits radiation anddetects the reflection of the radiation off of an object) or passive(where the 3D scanner 285 detects radiation that it did not emit). Inother embodiments the 3D scanner 285 may be a contact 3D scanner thatscans an object by coming into physical contact with the object. The 3Dscanner may be a time-of-flight 3D scanner, a triangulation 3D scanner,a conoscopic 3D scanner, volumetric 3D scanner, a structured light 3Dscanner, or a modulated light 3D scanner. The 3D scanner may use lightdetection and ranging (LIDAR), light field, stereoscopic, multi-camera,laser scanning, ultrasonic, x-ray, distance range system (laser oracoustic) technology, or some combination thereof. In typicalembodiments, the 3D scanner 285 includes a controller, microcontrolleror processor for controlling the 3D scanner 285 and included components.Furthermore, in certain embodiments the 3D scanner includes internalmemory.

In some embodiments of the 3D scanner 285 of the data collection system201, the image sensor 265 may include any of a number of photosensor,photodiode, photomultiplier, or image sensor types, includingcharge-coupled-devices (CCD), complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors(CMOS), or some combination thereof. In some instances the image sensor265 may be a single-camera setup. In other instances, the image sensor365 may be a multi-camera setup. The light projector 270 may include oneor more light sources and may project light in the frequency of eithervisible or invisible light (including infrared light and ultravioletlight). The light projector 270 may also project directional light suchas a laser light. The light projector 270 may include, but is notlimited to, LED, incandescent, fluorescent, high intensity dischargelamp, or laser light sources. The audio sensor may include any of anumber of audio sensor or microphone types. For example, the audiosensor may include one or more condenser microphones, dynamicmicrophones, piezoelectric microphones, fiber optic microphones, lasermicrophones, or MEMS microphones.

The data collection system 201 may be held and operated by a person. Thedata collection system 201 may also be affixed to a remotely controlleddevice, such as a radio controlled device; a flying device; a devicethat rolls, drives, crawls, climbs or drives; a mechanical apparatusaffixed to or near the structure 205; or a satellite. The processor 210,the memory 215, the user input interface 220, the network interface 230,the peripheral interface 235, and the 3D scanner 285 are eachcommunicatively connected to the system bus 250. In the preferredembodiment, the tactile sensor 260, the image sensor 265, the lightprojector 270, the audio sensor 275, and the audio projector 280 arealso communicatively connected to the system bus 250. In certainembodiments, the tactile sensor 260, the image sensor 265, the lightprojector 270, the audio sensor 275, and the audio projector 280communicate over a bus internal to the 3D scanner and are controlled bythe 3D scanner.

In some embodiments of the data collection system 201, all or some ofthe elements in the data collection system 201 may be in contact with orclose proximity to the structure 205. In other embodiments of theinvention, all or some of the aforementioned elements may be

remotely located in relation to the structure 205 (for example, and asdiscussed later, the data collection system 201 may be affixed, in wholeor in part, to a satellite in orbit). The processor 210 is configured tofetch and execute instructions stored in the memory 215. The memory 215is configured to store data such as operating system data or programdata. The user input interface 220 is configured to receive user inputand to transmit data representing the user input over the system bus250. The peripheral interface 235 is configured to communicativelyconnect to a peripheral device such as a computer. The network interface230 is configured to communicatively connect to a network, such as thenetwork 102 shown in Figure lb, and wirelessly receive or transmit datausing the network. In alternative embodiments, the network interface 230may receive and transmit data using a wired connection, such asEthernet.

The 3D scanner 285 is configured to receive control commands over thesystem bus 250 and scan an object such as the structure 205 to detect 3Dcharacteristics of the scanned object. The 3D scanner 285 is furtherconfigured to transmit data representing a 3D data point, a point cloudor a 3D model (“3D data”) relating to the scanned object over the systembus 250. The 3D scanner is further configured to use any of the tactilesensor 260, the image sensor 265, the light projector 270, the audioprojector 270, or the audio projector 280 to generate and transmit the3D data. The tactile sensor 260 is configured to capture sensoryinformation associated with a surface of the structure 205 (“tactiledata”), such as shapes and features or topography of the surface, andtransmit the tactile data over the system bus 250. The image sensor 265is configured to capture an image of the structure 205 and transmit datarepresenting the image (“image data”) over the system bus 250. Incertain embodiments, the image sensor may receive visible light,invisible light (such as infrared or ultraviolet), or radiation in otherparts of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, x-rays,gamma rays, etc.). In some embodiments, for example, subsurface featuresmay be detected using radar. The transmitted image data may represent athermal, color, infrared, or panchromatic image. The light projector 270is configured to receive control commands over the system bus 250 fromthe 3D scanner 285 or the processor 210, and is further configured toproject light in the direction of the structure 205. The audio sensor275 is configured to receive an audio signal or sound waves reflectedoff of the structure 205 and transmit data representing the audio signal(“audio data”) over the system bus 250. The audio projector 280 isconfigured to receive control commands over the system bus 250 or fromthe 3D scanner 285 and project a sound or audio signal in the directionof the structure 205.

In operation of the 3D scanner 285 of data collection system 201, thenetwork interface 250 receives data representing a command to collect 3Dinformation associated with the structure 205 (“3D capture command”).The network interface 250 transmits the 3D capture command over thesystem bus 250 to the processor 210, where the 3D capture command datais received. The processor 210 then transmits, over the system bus 250,a signal (“3D capture signal”) instructing the 3D scanner 285 to detect3D characteristics associated with an object. The 3D scanner 285 scansthe structure 205 and generates data representing 3D characteristics ofthe structure 205 (“3D data”) corresponding to the collected 3Dinformation. More particularly, in one embodiment the 3D scanner 285projects a light pattern onto the structure 205. The 3D scanner 285 thenrecords the structure 205 and the projected light pattern. The 3Dscanner 285 may then alter the projected light pattern or the area ofthe structure 205 on which the light pattern is projected. The 3Dscanner 285 then records, for a second time, the structure 205 andprojected light pattern. This process may be continuously repeated untila sufficient portion of the structure 205 has been scanned.

In further operation of the 3D scanner 285, the 3D scanner 285 analyzesthe deformations associated with each of the recorded light patterns toidentify coordinate sets associated with the structure 205. Eachcoordinate set includes vertical, horizontal, and depth distancemeasurements (relative to the 3D scanner 285) of a particular point onthe surface of the structure 205. The 3D scanner 285 generates 3D datapoints representing each of the coordinate sets associated with thescanned points on the surface of the structure 205. In some embodiments(particularly in embodiments where the 3D scanner moves or uses sensorsin multiple locations or positions), the 3D scanner 285 may normalizethe coordinates for all of the collected 3D data points so that the 3Ddata points share a common coordinate system. In alternativeembodiments, the coordinates may be normalized by a processor externalto the 3D scanner 285. In any event, the 3D scanner 285 then stores apoint cloud, constructed from the 3D data points, to memory 215. Theprocessor 210 operates to transmit the 3D data (i.e., the point cloud)to the network interface 230, where the 3D data is transmitted over anetwork such as the network 102 shown in Figure lb. In certainembodiments, the 3D data may represent a 3D model that was constructedby the processor 210 or the 3D scanner 285.

In alternative embodiments of the 3D scanner 285, the 3D scanner may bea time-of-flight 3D scanner where the round trip time of a laser isidentified in order to identify the distance to a particular point onthe structure 205. The 3D scanner 285 may also be any type oftriangulation 3D scanner that uses ordinary light or laser light.Furthermore, in some embodiments the 3D scanner 285 may use any one ofor a combination of the tactile sensor 260, the image sensor 265, thelight projector 270, the audio sensor 275, or the audio projector 280 ingenerating the 3D data.

In operation of the tactile sensor 260 of the 3D scanner 285, thetactile sensor 260 receives a signal from the 3D scanner 285 instructingthe tactile sensor 260 to detect topographical features associated witha surface (“tactile capture signal”). The tactile sensor 260 receivesthe tactile capture signal and the tactile sensor 260 is exposed to asurface associated with the structure 205. The tactile sensor 260generates tactile data representing at least some of the shapes andfeatures of the surface that the tactile sensor 260 was exposed to. The3D scanner 285 then uses the tactile data to generate 3D data.Alternatively, the tactile sensor 260 may transmit the tactile data overthe system bus 250 to the memory 215 where the tactile data is stored.

In some embodiments of the tactile sensor 260 of the data collectionsystem 201, the tactile sensor 260 may include, or be used with, a pad,mat, stamp, or surface that is depressed onto a surface associated withthe structure 205. The tactile sensor 260, may then be used to detectthe imprint made on the pad. Furthermore, the pad may have an adhesivesurface so that any objects on the surface of the structure 205 (such asa shingle) stick to the pad. The tactile sensor 260 may then detect theresistive force exerted by the object as the pad is pulled away from thestructure 205. In further embodiments, the tactile sensor 260 may use aroller that is run across a surface of the structure 205, wherein theshapes and features of the surface are temporarily imprinted on theroller and the tactile sensor 260 detects the shapes and features thathave been temporarily imprinted on the roller.

In operation of the image sensor 265 of the 3D scanner 285, the imagesensor 265 receives a signal (“image capture signal”) from the 3Dscanner 285 instructing the image sensor 265 to capture reflected lightor to capture an image. The image sensor 265 receives the image capturesignal and the image sensor 265 is exposed to light reflected off of thestructure 205. The image sensor 265 generates image data representing atleast part of an image of the structure 205, wherein the imagecorresponds to the light that the image sensor 265 was exposed to. The3D scanner 285 then uses the image data to generate 3D data.Alternatively, the image data may be transmitted over the system bus 250to the memory 215 where the image data is stored. Furthermore, the 3Dscanner 285 may also use image data corresponding to multiple previouslycaptured images to generate the 3D data.

In some embodiments, the image sensor 265 may be utilized to capture 2Dimages. In some embodiments the 3D scanner 285 may use the image sensor265 to capture 2D images in order to supplement the 3D data captured bythe 3D scanner 285. In other embodiments, the data collection system 201may use the image sensor 265 to capture 2D images independently of the3D scanner 285. The 2D image data may be transmitted to the memory 215to be stored. The 2D image data may also be transmitted, via the networkinterface 230, to a data analysis module such as the data analysismodule 103, where the 2D image data, or combination 2D-3D image data,may analyzed to estimate the condition of the structure 205.

In some embodiments of the image sensor 265, the image sensor 265 may beused to detect thermal characteristics associated with the structure 205in addition to visual characteristics associated with the structure 205(capturing infrared light, for example). Furthermore, in someembodiments the light reflected off of the structure 205 may originatefrom the light projector 270, while in other embodiments the light mayoriginate elsewhere. In the former case, the processor 210 or the 3Dscanner 285 operates to transmit a command instructing the lightprojector 270 to generate light. The light projector 270 receives thecommand to generate light and projects light in the direction of thestructure 205. The light may be visible light, such as laser light orordinary light emitted from an HID lamp; or invisible light, such asinfrared light or ultraviolet light. In certain embodiments, the lightprojector 370 may also be configured to emit radiation in otherfrequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., radio waves,microwaves, terahertz radiation, x-rays, or gamma rays). For example,the light projector 370 may emit radio waves. The radio waves mayreflect off the structure 205 and may be detected by an antenna (notshown) communicatively coupled to the data collection system 201. Insuch an embodiment, the light projector and antenna may operate as aradar system, allowing the data collection system 201 to, for example,scan a subsurface associated with the structure 205. In one embodiment,for example, the data collection system 201 may scan the subsurfaceassociated with shingles, enabling a data analysis module to determineif the subsurface of the shingles are damaged.

In operation of the audio sensor 275 of the 3D scanner 285, the audiosensor 275 receives a signal from the 3D scanner 285 instructing theaudio sensor 275 to detect audio or sound waves (“audio capturesignal”). The audio sensor 275 receives the audio capture signal and theaudio sensor 275 is exposed to one or more audio signals or sound wavesreflected off of the structure 205. The audio sensor 275 generates audiodata representing at least part of one of the audio signals that theaudio sensor 275 was exposed to. The 3D scanner 285 then uses the audiodata to generate 3D data. Alternatively, the audio data may then betransmitted over the system bus 250 from the audio sensor 275 to thememory 215 where the audio data is stored.

In some embodiments of the audio sensor 275 of the data collectionsystem 201, the audio signals or sound waves received at the audiosensor 275 may originate from the audio projector 280, while in otherembodiments the audio signals may originate elsewhere. In the formercase, the processor 210 operates to transmit a command instructing theaudio projector 280 to generate audio. The audio projector 280 receivesthe command to generate audio and emits one or more sound waves or audiosignals in the direction of the structure 205. In certain embodimentsthe audio sensor 275 and the audio projector 280 may operate as a sonarsystem, allowing the data collection system 201 to, for example, scan asubsurface associated with the structure 205. In one embodiment, forexample, the data collection system 201 may scan the subsurfaceassociated with shingles, enabling a data analysis module to determineif the subsurface of the shingles are damaged.

In alternative embodiments of the data collection system 201, the imagecapture signal, the audio capture signal, or the tactile capture signalmay be received by from the processor 210, wherein the respective signalwas generated in response to a capture command received by the processor210 from the peripheral interface 235, the network interface 230, or theinput interface 220. Likewise, the processor 210 may also operate totransmit the image data, audio data, tactile data, or 3D data to thenetwork interface 230 or the peripheral interface 235 to be transmittedto another device or system.

In further embodiments of the data collection system 201, the datacollection system 201 may include a chemical spray device, or may beused in conjunction with a chemical spray device, wherein the chemicalspray device sprays a chemical onto a surface of the structure 205. Thechemical may then be detected in order to help generate the image dataor tactile data. In such an embodiment, the data collection system 201may include or may be used in conjunction with a chemical detectionsensor. In some embodiments, the presence of the chemical may also bedetected using the image sensor 265. For example, a visually distinct orluminescent chemical (such as a phosphorescent or fluorescent chemical)may be sprayed on the structure 205. The image sensor 265 may then beused to detect the presence and extent of luminescence on the structure205. A black light may also be used in conjunction with the process ofdetecting the chemical. The degree of luminescence present on thestructure 205 may be used to determine topographical features associatedwith the structure 205 and may be used by the 3D scanner in generating3D data. For example, the degree of luminescence may indicate pooling orseeping at certain locations on the surface of the structure. Detectingthe luminescent chemical may also reveal run-off or drainage patterns,which may indicate an uneven surface or a dent on the surface.

In further alternative embodiments of the data collection system 201,the data collection system 201 may be configured to implement a dataanalysis method wherein the processor 210 accesses one or more of theimage data, the audio data, the tactile data, or the 3D data on thememory 215 for analysis. The processor 210 may further operate toestimate the condition of the structure 205 based on said analysis.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a data collection system 301according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The datacollection system 301 is configured to scan the structure 305. The datacollection system 301 includes a 3D scanner 385, a flying device 310, abase station 320, an antenna 325, and a tether 330. The 3D scanner 385includes an antenna 316. The flying device 310 may be a balloon,airplane, helicopter, projectile, rocket, or any other device capable offlight, levitation, or gliding.

In the preferred embodiment, the 3D scanner 385 is similar to the 3Dscanner 285 and may also include one or more of: a tactile sensorsimilar to the tactile sensor 260, an image sensor similar to the imagesensor 265, a light projector similar to the light projector 270, anaudio sensor similar to the audio sensor 275, or an audio projectorsimilar to the audio projector 280. The base station 320 may include oneor more of: a processor similar to the process 210, a memory similar tothe memory 215, a peripheral interface similar to the peripheralinterface 230, a user input interface similar to the user inputinterface 220, or a transmitter similar to the transmitter 235.

In the data collection system 301, the 3D scanner 385 is affixed to theflying device 310. In the data collection system 301, the 3D scanner 385is tethered to the base station 320. The antenna 316 of the 3D scanner385 is in communication with the antenna 325 of the base station 320.

In operation of the data collection system 301, the flying device 310 isused to position the 3D scanner 385 at an elevation higher than at leastpart of the structure 305. The tether 330 functions to keep the flyingdevice 310 within the vicinity of the base station 320 by tethering theflying device 310 to the base station 320. In some embodiments, thetether 330 may provide power to the flying device 310. The tether mayalso provide a communication channel between the flying device 310 andthe base station 320 (and may replace the antennas 316 and 325 incertain embodiments). When the 3D scanner 385 has reached the desiredelevation, the 3D scanner 385 collects information associated with thestructure 305. In the preferred embodiment, the 3D scanner 385 scans thestructure 305 and generates 3D data (e.g., 3D data points, a pointcloud, or a 3D model). In some embodiments the 3D scanner 385 maycollect image information, audio information, or tactile information asdiscussed with regard to the data collection system 201. The 3D scanner385 then uses the antenna 316 to transmit the collected information tothe antenna 325 of the base station 320. The base station 320 thentransmits the collected information over a network such as network 102shown in FIG. 1 b.

In alternative embodiments of the data collection system 301, the basestation 320 may be affixed to the flying device 310 along with the 3Dscanner 285 and the tether 330 may instead tether the data collectionsystem 301 to an anchoring device or apparatus. In such an embodiment,the components of the data collection system 301 may communicate over asystem bus such as the system bus 250 discussed with regard to FIG. 2.

In further embodiments of the data collection system 301, the flyingdevice 310 may operate to bring the 3D scanner 385 in contact with thestructure 305, or may drop the 3D scanner 385 onto the structure 305. Insome embodiments, the flying device 310 may operate autonomously. Theflying device 310 may also be controlled wirelessly by a remote devicesuch as a radio control device. Furthermore, in certain embodiments the3D scanner 385 may be free of a connection to the tether 330. In someembodiments the 3D scanner 385 may be held and operated by a person,while in others the 3D scanner 385 may be affixed to a mechanicalapparatus located on or near the structure 305.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a data collection system 401according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The datacollection system 401 includes a 3D scanner 485, a base station 420, anda tether 430. The 3D scanner 485 includes an antenna 416 and a roller417. The base station 420 includes an antenna 425.

The 3D scanner 485 may also include one or more of: a tactile sensorsimilar to the tactile sensor 260, an image sensor similar to the imagesensor 265, a light projector similar to the light projector 270, anaudio sensor similar to the audio sensor 275, an audio projector similarto the audio projector 280, or a 3D scanner similar to the 3D scanner285. The base station 420 may include one or more of: a processorsimilar to the process 210, a memory similar to the memory 215, aperipheral interface similar to the peripheral interface 230, a userinput interface similar to the user input interface 220, or atransmitter similar to the transmitter 235.

In the data collection system 401, the roller 417 of the 3D scanner 485comes into contact with a surface of the structure 405. The 3D scanner485 is physically connected to the base station 420 by the tether 430.The antenna 416 of the 3D scanner 485 is in communication with theantenna 425 of the base station 420.

In operation of the data collection system 401 of the data collectionsystem 401, the 3D scanner 485 is deployed on a surface associated withthe structure 405. The roller 417 comes into contact with the surfaceand rolls as the 3D scanner 485 moves. The roller 417 experiences atemporary imprint as it rolls, reflecting the shapes and features of thesurface that it is rolling across. Sensors internal or external to theroller (such as the tactile sensor 260 of FIG. 2) detect the imprintedtexture. The 3D scanner 485 generates tactile data representing theimprinted texture, The 3D scanner uses the tactile data to generate 3Ddata and uses the antenna 416 to transmit the 3D data to the antenna 425of the base station 420. The base station 420 may then transmit the 3Ddata over a network such as the network 102 shown in FIG. 1 b.

In further embodiments of the 3D scanner 485, the 3D scanner 485 mayhave mechanical feelers for contacting a surface associated with thestructure 405. The mechanical feelers may pull on an object associatedwith the surface (such as shingles on a roof) by gripping the objectbetween opposable feelers in order to detect how strongly adhered to thesurface the object is. Alternatively, the 3D scanner 485 may deploy amechanical feeler with an adhesive surface that detects how strongly anobject is adhered to the surface by applying the adhesive surface of themechanical feeler to the object, pulling the mechanical feeler away fromthe object, and detecting the resistive force associated with theobject. Furthermore, the 3D scanner 485 may deploy a mechanical feelerto physically manipulate the surface or an object on the surface (bytapping, pulling, or scraping, for example) and using an audio sensor(such as the audio sensor 275, for example) to detect the audio responseto the physical manipulation. The audio response may be analyzed (by thedata analysis module 103 shown in Figure lb, for example) and used indetermining the condition of the structure 405. In some embodiments,either or both of the data collection system 401 and the 3D scanner 485may be unconnected to the tether 430.

In another embodiment of the 3D scanner 485, the 3D scanner 485 mayinclude a pad or a stamp instead of or in addition to the roller 417.The 3D scanner 485 may depress the stamp onto a surface of the structure405. The features and shapes of the surface cause an imprint on thestamp and the sensing device detects the imprint using a tactile sensorsuch as the tactile sensor 260 shown in FIG. 2. As discussed previouslywith respect to the data collection system 201 shown in FIG. 2, thestamp or pad may also have an adhesive surface causing objects on thesurface of the structure 405 to stick to the pad. The 3D scanner 485 maythen detect the resistive force exerted by an object when the stamp orpad is pulled away from the surface of the structure 405.

In an alternative embodiment of the data collection system 401, theentire data collection system 401 may be affixed to or included in the3D scanner 485. In such an embodiment, the tether 430 may instead tetherthe 3D scanner 485 to an anchoring device or apparatus on or near theground, the structure 405, or some other point of attachment. In afurther embodiment, the 3D scanner 485 may be controlled by a deviceremotely located relative to the 3D scanner 485. In particular, the 3Dscanner 485 may be wirelessly controlled (e.g., via radio frequency by aradio control device). In other embodiments the 3D scanner 485 mayoperate autonomously.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a data analysis system 503according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The data analysissystem 503 includes a processor 510, a memory 515, a user inputinterface 520, a network interface 535, a peripheral interface 535, avideo interface 540, and a system bus 550. The processor 510, memory515, user input interface 520, network interface 535, peripheralinterface 535, and video interface 540 are each communicativelyconnected to the system bus 550. The memory 515 may be any type ofmemory similar to memory 215. Likewise, the processor 510 may be anyprocessor similar to the processor 210, the network interface 530 may beany network interface similar to the network interface 230, theperipheral interface 535 may be any peripheral interface similar to theperipheral interface 235, and the user input interface 520 may be anyuser input interface similar to the user input interface 220. The videointerface 540 is configured to communicate over the system bus 540 andtransmit video signals to a display device such as a monitor.

In operation of the data analysis system 503, the network interface 535receives 3D data points corresponding to a structure such as thestructure 205 shown in FIG. 2. The network interface 535 transmits thereceived data over the system bus 550 to the memory 515.

The processor 510 accesses the memory 515 to generate a first 3D modelof the structure based on the 3D data points, wherein the edges andvertices associated with the model are derived from the 3D data points.The processor 510 may then make one or more comparisons between thefirst 3D model and one or more second models. The second models mayrepresent previously received data relating to the same structure, orthey may represent previously received data relating to similarstructures. Alternatively, the second models may have been createdspecifically for the purpose of estimating the condition of a structureand may not relate to any actual physical structure. Based on the one ormore comparisons, the processor 510 generates an estimate of thecondition of the structure. The estimate of the condition of thestructure is saved to the memory 515. In some embodiments, networkinterface 535 may receive 2D image data or 2D-3D combination image dataand may transmit the data to the memory 515. The processor 510 mayidentify features with the 2D images and/or 2D-3D combination images andmay generate the estimate of the condition of the structure inaccordance with the identified features.

In further operation of the data analysis system 503, the processor 510may determine, based on the generated estimate, that the structure hasbeen damaged. The processor 510 may then operate to calculate (based onthe condition of the structure and data relating to costs such as costof supplies, materials, components and labor) an estimated financialcost associated with the damage. The estimated financial cost is thensaved to the memory 515. The video interface 540 may be used to display:the first 3D model, any of the one or more second models, the estimateof the condition of the structure, or the estimated financial cost.

In alternative embodiments of the data analysis system 503, the receiveddata may also represent images, videos, sounds, thermal maps, pressuremaps, or topographical maps, any of which may be displayed via the videointerface 540. The received data may then be used to generate a 3Dmodel. Alternatively, the received data may be compared to referenceimages, videos, sound, thermal maps, pressure maps, or topographicalmaps to estimate the condition of the structure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of an example method 600 for inspectingand analyzing the condition of a structure. The method 600 may beimplemented, in whole or in part, on one or more devices or systems suchas those shown in the property inspection system 100 of FIG. 1, the datacollection system 201 of FIG. 2, the data collection system 301 of FIG.3, the data collection system 401 of FIG. 4, or the data analysis system503 of FIG. 5. The method may be saved as a set of instructions,routines, programs, or modules on memory such as memory 215 of FIG. 2 ormemory 515 of FIG. 5, and may be executed by a processor such asprocessor 210 of FIG. 2 or processor 510 of FIG. 5.

The method 600 begins when a 3D scanner scans a structure, such as thestructure 205 shown in FIG. 2, structure 305 shown in FIG. 3, orstructure 405 shown in FIG. 4, and detects a point on the surface of thestructure (block 605). The structure may be any kind of building orstructure. The structure may be, for example, a single-family home,townhome, condominium, apartment, storefront, or retail space, and thestructure may be owned, leased, possessed, or occupied by an insurancepolicy holder. The structure may also be any of the structure typesdiscussed regarding FIG. 1, such as a vehicle, boat, or aircraft. Insuch structures, the 3D scanner may be used to inspect the body panels,windows, frame, and other surfaces associated with the vehicle, boat, oraircraft. Next, the 3D scanner identifies a coordinate set correspondingto each detected point on the surface of the structure (block 610). Thecoordinate set relates to vertical, horizontal, and depth distancemeasurements relative to the 3D scanner that detected the point.

The 3D scanner then generates a 3D data point, corresponding to thedetected point on the surface of the structure, that includes thecorresponding coordinate data (block 615). The 3D data point may then besaved to memory. A decision is made thereafter to either stop scanningthe structure or continue scanning the structure (block 620). If thereis more surface area or more surface points to be scanned, the 3Dscanner continues scanning the structure. Otherwise, the method 600continues to block 625.

When it is determined that no further scanning is required, the method600 activates the 3D scanner, or a processor such as the processor 210of FIG. 2 or the processor 510 of FIG. 5, to normalize the coordinatedata for all of the generated 3D data points so that the 3D data pointsshare a common coordinate system (block 625). The normalized 3D datapoints may then be saved to memory. The 3D scanner, or a processor,operates to build a point cloud from the 3D data points (block 630).This may be done by sampling or filtering the 3D data points.Alternatively, all of the 3D data points may be used. In any event, thepoint cloud may then be saved to memory.

After the point cloud is saved, the 3D scanner or processor operates toconstruct a 3D model from the point cloud (block 635). The edges andvertices associated with the model are derived from the points in thepoint cloud. Any of a number of surface reconstruction algorithms may beused to generate the surface of the model. In certain embodiments thesurface reconstruction may be skipped altogether and the raw point cloudmay be subsequently used instead of the constructed 3D model.

Next, a processor such as the processor 210 of FIG. 2 or the processor510 of FIG. 5 operates to analyze the 3D model (or point cloud) toestimate a condition of the structure (block 640). In some embodiments,this may include comparing the model to other models, wherein the othermodels relate to previously collected data corresponding to the samestructure, or previously collected data corresponding to otherstructures. In the alternative, the other models may only exist for thepurpose of analysis or estimation and may not correlate to any realstructure.

Based on the estimated condition of the structure, a processor operatesto calculate a financial cost estimate corresponding to any damage tothe structure (block 645). In some embodiments, the financial costestimate may correspond to the estimated cost for materials, labor, andother resources required to repair or refurbish the structure.

After calculating a financial cost estimate, a processor operates todetermine a claim assessment (block 650). The claim assessment may thenbe saved to memory. In some embodiments the claim assessment may be sentto a third party associated with the structure, such as a client holdingan insurance policy on the structure. In other embodiments the claimassessment may be sent to an insurance agent for evaluation.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method 700 for detectinga point on a surface using a 3D scanner. The method may be implementedby a 3D scanner, such as the 3D scanner 285 of FIG. 2 or the 3D scanner385 of FIG. 3.

The method 700 begins when a light source is deployed oriented toward astructure such as structure 105, 205, 305, or 405 of FIG. 1, 2, 3, or 4,respectively (block 705). The light source may be a part of the 3Dscanner, or it may be a separate device used in conjunction with the 3Dscanner. The light source may be any type of light source, but in thepreferred embodiment the light source is a laser that projects a dot orline. In other embodiments the light source may be a white light sourcethat projects a pattern onto an object.

A photosensor or image sensing device, such as the image sensor 265 ofFIG. 2, is then deployed oriented toward the structure (block 710). Theimage sensing device may be part of the 3D scanner, or it may be aseparate device used in conjunction with the 3D scanner. In thepreferred embodiment, the image sensing device is capable of detectingand processing laser light. After the image sensing device has beendeployed, the distance between the light source and the image sensingdevice is determined (block 715).

The light source projects light onto a surface of the structure (block720) and the image sensing device detects light reflected off of thesurface of the structure (block 725). In order to identify the positionof the surface reflecting the light, a first and second angle aredetermined (block 730 and block 735, respectively). The first angleincludes the light source as an end point, the projected light beam orlaser as a first side, and a line extending to the image sensing deviceas the second side of the angle. The second angle includes the imagesensing device as an end point, the received light beam or laser as afirst side, and a line extending to the light source as a second side ofthe angle. Finally, the position (including depth) of the surfacereflecting the light is determined (block 740) using the distancediscussed in relation to block 715, the first angle discussed inrelation to block 730, and the second angle discussed in relation toblock 735.

The position of the surface reflecting the light is saved to memory ascoordinate data included in a 3D data point (block 745). The coordinatedata may be relative to the 3D scanner, or it may be normalized so thatis it is consistent with other saved 3D data points. After saving thecoordinate data, the light source is adjusted so that the light isprojected onto a different area on the surface of the property (block750). A decision is then made to either continue scanning or stopscanning (block 755). If more of the structure needs to be scanned, themethod returns to step 725 where the light from the adjusted lightsource is reflected off of the surface of the structure and detected. Ifthe structure has been sufficiently scanned, the 3D scanner or aprocessor can begin the process of building a 3D model of the structureusing the 3D data points.

The following additional considerations apply to the foregoingdiscussion. Throughout this specification, plural instances mayimplement components, operations, or structures described as a singleinstance. Although individual operations of one or more methods areillustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of theindividual operations may be performed concurrently, and nothingrequires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated.Structures and functionality presented as separate components in exampleconfigurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component.Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single componentmay be implemented as separate components. These and other variations,modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of thesubject matter herein.

Discussions herein referring to an “appraiser,” “inspector,” “adjuster,”“claim representative” or the like are non-limiting. One skilled in theart will appreciate that any user associated with an insurance companyor an insurance function may utilize one or more of the devices,systems, and methods disclosed in the foregoing description. One skilledin the art will further realize that any reference to a specific jobtitle or role does not limit the disclosed devices, systems, or methods,or the type of user of said devices, systems, or methods.

Certain implementations are described herein as including logic or anumber of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules may constituteeither software modules (e.g., code implemented on a tangible,non-transitory machine-readable medium such as RAM, ROM, flash memory ofa computer, hard disk drive, optical disk drive, tape drive, etc.) orhardware modules (e.g., an integrated circuit, an application-specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable logic array(FPLA)/field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.). A hardware module isa tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may beconfigured or arranged in a certain manner. In example implementations,one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or servercomputer system) or one or more hardware modules of a computer system(e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be configured bysoftware (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardwaremodule that operates to perform certain operations as described herein.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, discussions herein using wordssuch as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,”“presenting,” “displaying,” or the like may refer to actions orprocesses of a machine (e.g., a computer) that manipulates or transformsdata represented as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, or optical)quantities within one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory,non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or othermachine components that receive, store, transmit, or displayinformation.

As used herein any reference to “one implementation,” “one embodiment,”“an implementation,” or “an embodiment” means that a particular element,feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theimplementation is included in at least one implementation. Theappearances of the phrase “in one implementation” or “in one embodiment”in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referringto the same implementation.

Some implementations may be described using the expression “coupled”along with its derivatives. For example, some implementations may bedescribed using the term “coupled” to indicate that two or more elementsare in direct physical or electrical contact. The term “coupled,”however, may also mean that two or more elements are not in directcontact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with eachother. The implementations are not limited in this context.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,”“including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, areintended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process,method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is notnecessarily limited to only those elements but may include otherelements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method,article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary,“or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example,a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true(or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or notpresent) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (orpresent).

In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elementsand components of the implementations herein. This is done merely forconvenience and to give a general sense of the invention. Thisdescription should be read to include one or at least one and thesingular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meantotherwise.

Upon reading this disclosure, those of skill in the art will appreciatestill additional alternative structural and functional designs for asystem and a process for inspecting a structure to estimate thecondition of a structure through the disclosed principles herein. Thus,while particular implementations and applications have been illustratedand described, it is to be understood that the disclosed implementationsare not limited to the precise construction and components disclosedherein. Various modifications, changes and variations, which will beapparent to those skilled in the art, may be made in the arrangement,operation and details of the method and apparatus disclosed hereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope defined in the appendedclaims.

We claim:
 1. A computer-implemented method of inspecting a structure,the method comprising: receiving, by one or more processors, datacollected by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) corresponding to points ona surface of a structure; generating, by the one or more processors, a3D point cloud for the structure, wherein the 3D point cloud isgenerated based at least in part on the received UAV data; andreconstructing, by the one or more processors, a 3D model of the surfaceof the structure using the 3D point cloud.
 2. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 1, further comprising: analyzing, by the one or moreprocessors, the 3D model of the surface of the structure to estimate acondition of the structure.
 3. The computer-implemented method of claim1, further comprising: identifying, by the one or more processors, aplurality of coordinate sets associated with the UAV data, thecoordinate sets each relating to vertical, horizontal, and depthdistance measurements; and generating, by the one or more processors,the 3D point cloud for the structure based on the plurality ofcoordinate sets.
 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, furthercomprising: deploying the UAV to project light onto the surface of thestructure and detect light reflected off the surface of the structureusing a light sensor, wherein the UAV data includes visual featuresassociated with the structure.
 5. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 1, further comprising: deploying the UAV to project an audiosignal in a direction of the structure and receive an audio signalreflected off the structure using an audio sensor, wherein the UAV dataincludes audio features associated with the structure.
 6. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: deployingthe UAV to detect topographical features associated with the surface ofthe structure using a tactile sensor, wherein the UAV data includes thetopographical features.
 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6,wherein deploying the UAV to detect topographical features includesdeploying the UAV to depress a pad on the surface of the structure andto detect topographical features associated with the surface of thestructure based on an imprint left on the pad.
 8. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein deploying the UAV todetect topographical features includes deploying the UAV to implement aroller across the surface of the structure and to detect topographicalfeatures associated with the surface of the structure based on animprint on the roller.
 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,further comprising: deploying the UAV to mechanically pull on an objectassociated with the surface of the structure and to detect a resistiveforce of the object, wherein the UAV data includes the resistive forceof the object.
 10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, furthercomprising: deploying the UAV to spray a chemical onto the surface ofthe structure and detect a presence of the chemical on the structureusing a chemical sensor, wherein the UAV data includes topographicalfeatures associated with the surface of the structure based on thepresence of the chemical on the structure.
 11. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 1, further comprising: deploying the UAV to capturethermal images of the structure to detect thermal features associatedwith the structure using a thermal sensor, wherein the UAV data includesthe thermal features.
 12. A property inspection system for capturing thecondition of a physical structure, the property inspection systemcomprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and a computing deviceincluding: one or more processors; and a non-transitorycomputer-readable memory storing instructions thereon that, whenexecuted by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:receive data collected by the UAV corresponding to points on a surfaceof a structure; generate a 3D point cloud for the structure, wherein the3D point cloud is generated based at least in part on the received UAVdata; and reconstruct a 3D model of the surface of the structure usingthe 3D point cloud.
 13. The property inspection system of claim 12,wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to: analyzethe 3D model of the surface of the structure to estimate a condition ofthe structure.
 14. The property inspection system of claim 12, whereinthe instructions further cause the computing device to:: identify aplurality of coordinate sets associated with the UAV data, thecoordinate sets each relating to vertical, horizontal, and depthdistance measurements; and generate the 3D point cloud for the structurebased on the plurality of coordinate sets.
 15. The property inspectionsystem of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computingdevice to: deploy the UAV to project light onto the surface of thestructure and detect light reflected off the surface of the structureusing a light sensor, wherein the UAV data includes visual featuresassociated with the structure.
 16. The property inspection system ofclaim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computing deviceto: deploy the UAV to project an audio signal in a direction of thestructure and receive an audio signal reflected off the structure usingan audio sensor, wherein the UAV data includes audio features associatedwith the structure.
 17. The property inspection system of claim 12,wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to: deploythe UAV to detect topographical features associated with the surface ofthe structure using a tactile sensor, wherein the UAV data includes thetopographical features.
 18. The property inspection system of claim 12,wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to: deploythe UAV to mechanically pull on an object associated with the surface ofthe structure and to detect a resistive force of the object, wherein theUAV data includes the resistive force of the object.
 19. The propertyinspection system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further causethe computing device to: deploy the UAV to spray a chemical onto thesurface of the structure and detect a presence of the chemical on thestructure using a chemical sensor, wherein the UAV data includestopographical features associated with the surface of the structurebased on the presence of the chemical on the structure.
 20. The propertyinspection system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further causethe computing device to: deploy the UAV to capture thermal images of thestructure to detect thermal features associated with the structure usinga thermal sensor, wherein the UAV data includes the thermal features.